Continuous casting of metal rods and bars

ABSTRACT

A process is disclosed for directly and continuously manufacturing profiled metal bars or wire rods in which molten metal is cast in a casting means and permitted to be cooled in the casting means sufficient to develope a solid metal envelope containing a substantial quantity of liquid metal. The rough casting is conveyed out of the casting means and subjected to repeated contact with a coolant in a manner to cool and solidify the casting to thereby produce a casting having a substantially uniform temperature distribution.

United States Patent Leroy 1 July 22, 1975 [54] CONTINUOUS CASTING OF METAL RODS 3,503,161 3/1970 Long 164/263 X 3,534,656 10/1970 Michelson.. 164/263 X AND BARS 3,612,152 10/1971 Koenig 164/89 Inventor: J y, Ho k n-Ant p, 3,648,359 3/1972 Dennis 29/527.7 Belgium 3,759,309 9/1973 Nighman 164/89 X [73] Assignee: Metallurgie Hoboken-Overpelt,

Brussels, Belgium Primary Examiner--C. W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-D. C. Reiley, Ill [22] Fled: 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Pennie & Edmonds [21] Appl. No.: 407,044

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Apphca'mn Pnomy Data A process is disclosed for directly and continuously Oct. 17, 1972 Belgium 123169 manufacturing profiled metal bars or wire rods in which molten metal is cast in a casting means and per- [52] 29/527'6; 29/5275; 29/5277; mitted to be cooled in the casting means sufficient to 164/ 70; 164/89 develope a solid metal envelope containing a substan- [51] Int. Cl 823k 19/00 tial quantity f id l, Th ough casting is con- [58] Field of Search 164/69, 70, 82, 89, 263; veyed out of the casting means and Subjected to 29/5275 527-7 peated contact with a coolant in a manner to cool and solidify the casting to thereby produce a casting hav- 156] References C'ted ing a substantially uniform temperature distribution.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1970 Michelson 164/70 X 6 Claims, No Drawings CONTINUOUS CASTING OF METAL RODS AND BARS This invention relates to a process for directly and continuously manufacturing profiled bars or wire rod, more particularly of copper, from molten metal.

A process is already known for manufacturing hot shaped copper-based products from molten metal, according to which the molten copper-based metal is substantially completely solidified in a closed mould and the cast bar is hot shaped while it is substantially in that condition in which it has been solidified. This known process has the drawback that the liquid metal has to be substantially completely solidified by indirect cooling, namely through the intermediary of the mould wall and through the intermediary of the gap which is formed between said mould wall and the solidifying metal as a result of the shrinkage of the latter; thus, the complete solidification of the metal in the mould is possible only when the metal is cast at relatively low speeds and is therefore a limit to the productivity of the process.

This invention aims at avoiding this drawback.

According to the process of the invention, a rough shape consisting of a solid metal envelope containing a substantial quantity of liquid metal is produced by continuous casting, the rough shape thus leaving the casting machine is then cooled by direct and repeated contact in the surrounding atmosphere with a coolant in order completely to solidify the rough shape, to make the temperature throughout its cross-section uniform and to reduce its temperature to a value which allows it to be transformed into a product having the desired profile. The corners of the rough shape are preferably cut away in order to avoid right angles in the crosssection of the rough shape and to give it for instance the octogonal form. The rough shape is heated to raise its temperature within a range of temperatures suitable to its rolling and the rough shape is rolled by means known per se to be transformed into a product having the desired profile.

According to another feature of the process of the invention the rough shape leaving the casting machine is cooled in at least two zones of intensive cooling, each of which is followed by a zone without cooling or with weak cooling.

Other objects and features of the invention will become evident from the following description of an embodimcnt given as a non-limitative example and relating to the direct and continuous manufacture of copper wire rod from molten copper.

ln a continuous casting machine known per se, copper is cast at a relatively high casting speed, of e.g. 12 meters per minute to produce a continuous rough shape with a rectangular cross-section, which at the outlet of the casting machine consists of a solidified copper envelope surrounding a liquid copper core representing about 30% of the entire cross-section of the rough shape. By this time the temperature of the outer crust of the rough shape is about 1020C, that of the core is of about 1110C.

The rectangular rough shape leaving the casting machine is conveyed in the surrounding atmosphere to a first intensive cooling zone, in which the rough shape is sprinkled with water; the rough shape leaving this first intensive cooling zone is then again conveyed in the surrounding atmosphere, during which conveyance the temperature becomes more homogeneous throughout the cross-section of the rough shape since the strongly cooled outer crust is warmed up again by the heat of the core which is still very hot; the rough shape enters then a second zone of intensive cooling, followed by another conveyance in the surrounding atmosphere and by a third zone of intensive cooling, at the outlet of which the temperatureis nearly uniform throughout the cross-section of the rough shape at about 800C, which allows the rough shape to be subjected to a cutting operation.

The four edges of the rough shape are now cut away, e.g. by means of four rotating milling cutters, to give it an octogonal cross-section. Such a section is particularly well adapted for rolling, because it shows no right angles which might produce creases during the rolling.

The rough shape is then passed under a brushing system in order to eliminate any chips which might have been deposited on it.

Finally, the rough shape is brought back to a temperature of about 850C, which suits particularly will for copper rolling and the reheated rough shape is converted into wire rod by a hot rolling process known per What we claim is:

1. A process for directly and continuously manufacturing profiled bars or wire rods of a metal such as copper comprising continuously casting a molten metal in a casting means in the form of a rough casting, permitting said rough casting to be cooled in the casting means sufficient to develop a solid metal envelope containing a substantial quantity of liquid metal therein, conveying said rough casting out of the casting means into the surrounding atmosphere, conveying said rough casting to a first intensive cooling zone and subjecting said rough casting to direct contact with a coolant capable of intensively cooling said rough casting, conveying said rough casting into the surrounding atmosphere and simultaneously permitting heat to transfer from the central portion thereof to the outer intensively cooled portion to thereby facilitate reheating of the cooled portion, conveying said rough casting to at least a second intensive cooling zone and subjecting said rough casting to direct contact with a coolant capable of intensively cooling said rough casting to further cool the outer portion thereof, and conveying said rough casting to the surrounding atmosphere while simultaneously permitting heat to transfer from the central portion thereof to the outer intensively cooled portion to thereby facilitate reheating of the cooled portion to thereby produce a casting having a substantially uniform temperature distribution while maintaining the rate of production at such levels as to facilitate the continuous casting of such profiled bars or wire rods.

2. The process according to claim 1 further comprising forming said metal in the shape of a rough casting having right angled corner portions, and cutting away right angled corner portions of the rough casting prior to substantially completely cooling said rough casting to thereby produce a substantially octagonal crosssectional configuration before said casting is completely cooled.

3. The process according to claim 2 further comprising heating said rough casting to raise its temperature to within a temperature range suitable for rolling, and rolling said rough casting in a manner to produce a predetermined cross-sectional configuration.

4. The process according to claim 1 further comprising subjecting the rough casting to at least three zones of intensive cooling and following each of the first two zones by at least one of a zone of no cooling or of lesser cooling.

5. The process according to claim 2 further comprising passing the rough casting adjacent a brushing means in a manner to contact the brushing means to remove chips therefrom which may have been deposited thereon after the step of cutting corner portions therefrom.

6. A process for directly and continuously manufacturing profiled copper bars or wire rods comprising continuously casting molten copper in a casting mold in the form of a rough casting, permitting said rough casting to be cooled in the casting mold sufficient to develop a solid metal envelope containing liquid copper therein. the liquid copper representing approximately 30 percent of the entire cross-section of the rough casting and the temperature of the liquid copper core being approximately lllC and the temperature of the outer solidified portion being approximately 1020C, conveying said rough casting out of the casting mold into the surrounding atmosphere, conveying said rough casting to a first intensive cooling zone and subjecting said rough casting to an intensive cooling by sprinkling water thereon, conveying said rough casting into the surrounding atmosphere and simultaneously permitting heat to transfer from the central portion thereof to the outer intensively cooled portion to thereby facilitate reheating of the cooled outer portion, conveying said rough casting to a second intensive cooling zone and subjecting said rough casting to a second intensive cooling by sprinkling water thereon to further cool the outer portion thereof, conveying said rough casting to the surrounding atmosphere while simultaneously permitting heat to transfer from the central portion thereof to the outer intensively cooled portion to thereby facilitate reheating of the cooled outer portion, conveying said rough casting to a third intensive cooling zone and subjecting said casting to an intensive cooling by sprinkling water thereon to further cool the outer portion thereof, and conveying said rough casting to the surrounding atmosphere while simultaneously permitting heat to transfer from the central portion thereof to the outer intensively cooled portion to thereby facilitate reheating of the cooled portion to thereby produce a casting having a substantially uniform and homogeneous temperature distribution while maintaining the rate of production of said casting at speeds of approximately 12 meters per minute. 

1. A process for directly and continuously manufacturing profiled bars or wire rods of a metal such as copper comprising continuously casting a molten metal in a casting means in the form of a rough casting, permitting said rough casting to be cooled in the casting means sufficient to develop a solid metal envelope containing a substantial quantity of liquid metal therein, conveying said rough casting out of the casting means into the surrounding atmosphere, conveying said rough casting to a first intensive cooling zone and subjecting said rough casting to direct contact with a coolant capable of intensively cooling said rough casting, conveying said rough casting into the surrounding atmosphere and simultaneously permitting heat to transfer from the central portion thereof to the outer intensively cooled portion to thereby facilitate reheating of the cooled portion, conveying said rough casting to at least a second intensive cooling zone and subjecting said rough casting to direct contact with a coolant capable of intensively cooling said rough casting to further cool the outer portion thereof, and conveying said rough casting to the surrounding atmosphere while simultaneously permitting heat to transfer from the central portion thereof to the outer intensively cooled portion to thereby facilitate reheating of the cooled portion to thereby produce a casting having a substantially uniform temperature distribution while maintaining the rate of production at such levels as to facilitate the continuous casting of such profiled bars or wire rods.
 2. The process according to claim 1 further comprising forming said metal in the shape of a rough casting having right angled corner portions, and cutting away right angled corner portions of the rough casting prior to substantially completely cooling said rough casting to thereby produce a substantially octagonal cross-sectional configuration before said casting is completely cooled.
 3. The process according to claim 2 further comprising heating said rough casting to raise its temperature to within a temperature range suitable for rolling, and rolling said rough casting in a manner to produce a predetermined cross-sectional configuration.
 4. The process according to claim 1 further comprising subjecting the rough castIng to at least three zones of intensive cooling and following each of the first two zones by at least one of a zone of no cooling or of lesser cooling.
 5. The process according to claim 2 further comprising passing the rough casting adjacent a brushing means in a manner to contact the brushing means to remove chips therefrom which may have been deposited thereon after the step of cutting corner portions therefrom.
 6. A process for directly and continuously manufacturing profiled copper bars or wire rods comprising continuously casting molten copper in a casting mold in the form of a rough casting, permitting said rough casting to be cooled in the casting mold sufficient to develop a solid metal envelope containing liquid copper therein, the liquid copper representing approximately 30 percent of the entire cross-section of the rough casting and the temperature of the liquid copper core being approximately 1110*C and the temperature of the outer solidified portion being approximately 1020*C, conveying said rough casting out of the casting mold into the surrounding atmosphere, conveying said rough casting to a first intensive cooling zone and subjecting said rough casting to an intensive cooling by sprinkling water thereon, conveying said rough casting into the surrounding atmosphere and simultaneously permitting heat to transfer from the central portion thereof to the outer intensively cooled portion to thereby facilitate reheating of the cooled outer portion, conveying said rough casting to a second intensive cooling zone and subjecting said rough casting to a second intensive cooling by sprinkling water thereon to further cool the outer portion thereof, conveying said rough casting to the surrounding atmosphere while simultaneously permitting heat to transfer from the central portion thereof to the outer intensively cooled portion to thereby facilitate reheating of the cooled outer portion, conveying said rough casting to a third intensive cooling zone and subjecting said casting to an intensive cooling by sprinkling water thereon to further cool the outer portion thereof, and conveying said rough casting to the surrounding atmosphere while simultaneously permitting heat to transfer from the central portion thereof to the outer intensively cooled portion to thereby facilitate reheating of the cooled portion to thereby produce a casting having a substantially uniform and homogeneous temperature distribution while maintaining the rate of production of said casting at speeds of approximately 12 meters per minute. 